The Best Store-Bought Fertilizers for Outdoors Marijuana Growing

For cannabis cultivated outdoors, selecting the right store-bought fertilizer is key to supporting healthy growth and maximizing your yields. While making your own organic soil amendments can work, the convenience and optimal nutrition of quality commercial fertilizers makes them an ideal choice for many growers

In this comprehensive guide we’ll compare the top ready-made fertilizer options for outdoor marijuana. Whether growing in native soil or containers you can easily find the perfect nutrients to feed your plants from seed to harvest.

Key Nutrient Needs for Outdoor Cannabis

Outdoor marijuana plants have the same basic nutritional needs as indoor crops, but meeting those needs looks different in a natural setting. Here are some factors to consider

• Extended growth cycles – Outdoors, plants vegetate and flower over months, not weeks like indoor grows. They need a constant nutrient supply.

• Larger root zones – Roots can spread widely and deep in native soil, making precise nutrient delivery difficult.

• Leaching – Heavy rains can wash nutrients out of reach of roots before plants can absorb them.

• Soil conditions – Outdoor soil texture and nutrient levels vary. Fertilizer programs should adapt to current soil quality.

• Environmental stresses – Heat, drought, pests, and diseases create additional nutritional demands outdoors.

The ideal outdoor fertilizer adapts to these challenges and provides steady nutrition without causing burn or toxicity.

Comparing Store-Bought Outdoor Fertilizers

Many excellent commercial fertilizers are well-suited for outdoor marijuana. Here are some top options with key pros and cons:

All-Purpose Granular Fertilizers

• Examples: Espoma Garden Tone, Jobe’s Organic Granular Fertilizer, Dr. Earth Flower Girl

• Pros: Simple to apply; provide balanced nutrition; release nutrients slowly

• Cons: Can leach away quickly outdoors; less customizable for cannabis-specific needs

Marijuana-Specific Liquid Nutrients

• Examples: Advanced Nutrients, FoxFarm, General Hydroponics, Humboldt Nutrients

• Pros: Tailored nutritional ratios for cannabis; control over nutrient levels; fast root uptake

• Cons: Require mixing; more labor-intensive than granular options

Organic Dry Amendments

• Examples: Down to Earth Bio-Live, Dr. Earth Dry Fertilizers, Espoma Organic Fertilizers

• Pros: Release nutrition slowly; boost soil life; environmentally friendly

• Cons: Slower to amend deficiencies; nutrient levels less precise

Compost and Manures

• Examples: Homemade compost, chicken manure, cow manure, worm castings

• Pros: Improve soil structure and nutrition; affordable; easy to source

• Cons: Varying nutrient levels; slower release; odor issues with fresh manures

Tips for Choosing the Best Store-Bought Fertilizer

With many quality store-bought fertilizers to pick from, keep these guidelines in mind for outdoor marijuana:

• Match nutrients to soil – Test soil to determine amendments needed, then select appropriate fertilizer.

• Consider labor requirements – Liquid fertilizers involve mixing and more frequent applications vs. set-and-forget granular types.

• Factor in watering practices – Frequent deep watering allows for fast-absorbing liquid nutrients while granular fertilizers work well with less frequent irrigation.

• Account for environmental stresses – Intense sun, high winds, pests, and drought create higher nutritional needs.

• Adjust formulations over time – Switch to bloom-boosting fertilizers as plants transition into flowering.

• Avoid excessive nitrogen – Too much N can inhibit flowering and reduce bud potency in mature plants.

Starting with a balanced all-purpose fertilizer and tweaking your regimen based on plant responses will ensure sufficient nutrition without complications.

Recommended Store-Bought Fertilizers for Outdoor Marijuana

Here are some excellent all-around store-bought fertilizer options to consider:

• FoxFarm Happy Frog Fruit and Flower Fertilizer – Balanced granular formula for growth through flowering.

• Dr. Earth Flower Girl Bud & Bloom Booster – Dry organic fertilizer to stimulate flowering and ripening.

• Advanced Nutrients Sensi Grow – Liquid marijuana-specific fertilizer for vigorous vegetative growth.

• Roots Organics Buddha Grow – Dry organic amendment to support microbiology and provide slow-release nutrition.

• Down to Earth Bio-Live – Broad-spectrum organic dry fertilizer with balanced macronutrients.

• Espoma Tomato-Tone – Granular fertilizer ideal for vegetables and cannabis.

Finding the sweet spot between convenience, affordability, and performance will give your outdoor marijuana the steady nourishment it needs to thrive in your specific growing conditions.

Using Liquid Nutrient Systems Outdoors

While granular fertilizers are simpler for most outdoor grows, liquid nutrients can offer convenience and control for large-scale operations.

Many marijuana-specific liquid systems like Advanced Nutrients, General Hydroponics Flora Series, FoxFarm, and Humboldt Nutrients are excellent choices.

Benefits of liquid nutrients include:

• Ability to precisely adjust formulations for each stage of growth

• Complete control over nutrient levels

• Rapid uptake through roots and leaves

• Customizable delivery via irrigation systems

• Options for foliar feeding to correct deficiencies quickly

With liquid systems, invest in meters to monitor EC and pH of feed solutions. And Always start at lower doses and increase gradually based on plant responses to avoid burning.

Timing Nutrient Applications for Outdoor Plants

Proper timing of fertilizer applications prevents wasting nutrients and avoids plant damage:

• Amend native soil 1-2 weeks before planting with a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer.

• Begin light liquid fertilizer feeds after sprouts or transplants establish roots and show initial vigorous growth.

• Maintain fertilizer applications every 1-2 weeks early in the season as plants are actively vegetating.

• Transition to bloom-boosting formulations like Flower Girl or Tiger Bloom once pistils emerge.

• Taper off fertilizer in later flowering since maturing plants need less.

• Stop fertilizing 1-2 weeks before planned harvest date to allow proper flushing.

Always water fertilizers into the soil promptly to avoid burning leaves. Liquid feeds directly to the soil are ideal for minimizing foliage damage.

Fertilizing Container-Grown Cannabis Outdoors

For marijuana grown in containers outdoors, store-bought fertilizers keep plants fed through the extra-long grow season.

• Use soilless potting mixes like FoxFarm Happy Frog or Roots Organics that provide light base nutrition.

• Add slow-release granular fertilizer like Dr. Earth Life or Espoma Plant-tone into soil at planting.

• Feed with half-strength liquid fertilizer every 1-2 weeks to maintain optimal nutrition over months of growth.

• Increase bloom booster doses once flowering initiates.

• Flush pots thoroughly with plain water 2 weeks before harvest.

Vigilant fertilization prevents containers from becoming nutritionally depleted over time. Monitor regularly for any deficiency signs.

Improving Native Soil with Store-Bought Fertilizers

For in-ground planting, enhancing native soil quality sets up plants for success:

• Send soil samples to a lab for testing 2-3 months before planting to allow time for amending.

• Address issues like extreme pH, poor drainage, or lack of nutrients and organic matter based on results.

• Spread balanced all-purpose organic fertilizer like Down to Earth or Dr. Earth over planting beds and till into the top 6 inches of soil.

• Continue supplementing with liquid feeds like FoxFarm nutrients to correct deficiencies quickly as they emerge during growth.

With poor soil, fertilizer alone cannot overcome structural issues like compaction. In those cases, grow in raised beds with imported quality topsoil boosted with amendments.

Sample Outdoor Fertilizer Schedule

Here is one example of an effective outdoor feeding schedule using store-bought nutrients:

• 2 weeks pre-planting – Spread 1 lb per 10 sq ft balanced organic granular fertilizer and till into soil

• Transplanting – Mix compost into planting holes

• Vegetative stage – 1⁄2 strength liquid grow fertilizer every 2 weeks

• Early flowering – Transition to 1⁄2 strength bloom fertilizer

• Mid-flowering – Increase bloom booster to 3⁄4 strength

• Late flowering – Reduce to 1⁄4 strength bloom fertilizer

• 2 weeks pre-harvest – Flush soil by watering thoroughly with plain water

Always adjust quantities and timing based on plant vigor, soil needs, and environmental factors. More stressful conditions create higher fertilizer demand.

The Takeaway – Feeding Outdoor Marijuana for Maximum Success

Choosing the ideal store-bought fertilizers for outdoor cannabis involves matching nutritional delivery to your specific growing conditions, irrigation practices, and soil characteristics.

With so many excellent ready-made options available, you can easily create a custom fertility program to maximize the genetic potential of your marijuana strain. Pay close attention to plant signals and adapt your nutrients accordingly for a bountiful outdoor harvest.